Overview
(July 1, 2019, Washington, DC) — Steptoe & Johnson LLP is pleased to announce a new Housing Law Fellowship in conjunction with the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia (Legal Aid).
The Steptoe Housing Law Fellowship will expand Legal Aid's Housing Law Unit, which works to prevent evictions, address dangerous housing conditions, and preserve affordable housing in the District. Unlike many other fellowships, the Steptoe Housing Law Fellowship will be open to applicants with experience, as well as recent law school graduates and judicial clerks.
"Steptoe proudly continues its longstanding partnership with Legal Aid by expanding the availability of legal services for families facing the loss of their housing," said Paul Lee, pro bono counsel at Steptoe. "We are confident that this investment in our community will serve the needs of many."
Public service at Steptoe has been an integral part of the firm's history, ethos, and operations. For nearly 40 years, Steptoe maintained a loaned associate program at Legal Aid. In addition, Steptoe has represented hundreds of pro bono clients referred by Legal Aid in the areas of housing, family law, and public benefits, among others.
"Legal Aid is honored to partner with Steptoe to establish this new housing law fellowship," said Eric Angel, executive director of Legal Aid. "The firm's generosity and leadership will enable us to preserve stable, affordable housing for scores of additional families whom we otherwise would not be able to serve."
The Steptoe Housing Law Fellow will become the 25th member of Legal Aid's Housing Law Unit, which provides legal assistance to some 2,000 people in DC annually. Latricia Jones, who was at risk of being evicted until Steptoe partner John O'Connor and associate Johanna Dennehy stepped in, was featured in Legal Aid's 2016 Annual Report.
"My lawyers made me feel like I was their only client," Jones said after her case was dismissed. "They fought for me every step of the way."
Legal Aid is currently accepting applications for the fellowship.
About Steptoe
In more than 100 years of practice, Steptoe has earned an international reputation for vigorous representation of clients before governmental agencies, successful advocacy in litigation and arbitration, and creative and practical advice in structuring business transactions. Steptoe has more than 500 lawyers and other professional staff across offices in Beijing, Brussels, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington. For more information, visit www.steptoe.com.
About Legal Aid
Legal Aid was created in 1932 with the goal of making justice real – in individual and systemic ways – for persons living in poverty in the District of Columbia. For 87 years, Legal Aid lawyers have provided a continuum of legal services to clients in the areas of domestic violence/family, housing, public benefits, consumer, and immigration law. Legal Aid also works to identify systemic issues that on which its advocacy can have an impact beyond an individual client. In such cases, it often seek structural solutions – from changes in law or regulatory schemes to a reform of government or court practice – to benefit our client community. For more information about Legal Aid, please visit www.LegalAidDC.org.